Accessibility Strategy 2021 - 2024
We want every school to be accessible and inclusive. Early years settings, post 16 provision and the wider community should also follow this example. The local authority must have an Accessibility Strategy and all school providers must have an Accessibility Plan.
Inclusion
Inclusion and Accessibility are interlinked. When schools, settings, and colleges value everyone equally, they welcome all children within their surrounding community.
This strategy was created by the Local Authority in partnership with a variety of stakeholders, including schools and parents of pupils attending schools in Solihull.
Legal Framework
The Equality Act 2010 came into force in 2010 and replaced the previous Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The act states that local authorities must have in place a written Accessibility Strategy. For their part, schools (including independent schools) are required to have in place a written Accessibility Plan.
Local Authority working
The strategy is based on three key principles. Feedback on each of these is explained within the document itself.
- Guiding Principle 1: To increase access to the whole curriculum offered by schools for pupils with disabilities
- Guiding Principle 2: Improve the physical environment of schools to increase access to education and associated services
- Guiding Principle 3: Improve the access of written information for children and young people with disabilities
Schools responsibilities
The Equality Act 2010 requires all schools to prepare, and to keep under review, a written Accessibility Plan. This plan must be updated at least every three years and must incorporate the same key principles as those of the Local Authority. Schools should also make reasonable adjustments to ensure that pupils with disabilities are included within their setting.
Coordination, Accessibility and Review
The strategy action plan will have a named person for each action and will be monitored by the Joint Additional Needs Management Board. This group will be responsible for reviewing the strategy in three years’ time.